Windshield wipers may audibly squeak or “chatter” as a result of a “slip stick” interaction between the wiper blade and the windshield. Chattering is effected by the amount of surface friction and water lubrication, as well as the condition and angle of the wiper blades, and often results in complaints by vehicle operators. Typically, the operator will turn the wipers off or reduce their frequency to reduce the chatter, but this manual intervention does not really resolve the underlying issue if it pertains to the quality or condition of the wiper blades. Since the chatter may be an intermittent phenomenon, vehicle operators often forget to address the issue later with their service provider during maintenance visits, and are reminded of the problem only when it recurs later, which creates an endless cycle of inattention to the problem.
Thus, a need is identified for detecting the presence of windshield wiper chatter and taking further action to resolve it, desirably without the need for intervention by the vehicle operator.